Warren Supervisors Address Audit Contract, Permits, and Property Sale at March 17 Meeting

In addition to the recognition of Skyline High Athletics and denial of the rezoning request that would have permitted roosters to be added to enclosures housing chickens on one-acre lots and higher in Residential-1 neighborhoods throughout Warren County, the Warren County Board of Supervisors had other agenda items to deal with. Below is a summary of those items.

The 6 p.m. open meeting followed a Closed Session convened at 5 p.m. The motion to enter that closed session cited the subject matter as a presentation by the Drug Task Force. No announcements or actions were taken out of the closed session.

During the early part of the open meeting, the board received a largely remote “presentation on the Berry Dunn Contract” seeking renewal in the coming year. County Treasurer Janice Shanks and Deputy Treasurer Michele Frederick were present for an overview of Berry Dunn’s past work and to answer board questions regarding past Fiscal Year Audit results and the status and benefits of extending the firm’s contract into Fiscal Year 2027.

Treasurer Janis Shanks and Deputy Treasurer Michele Frederick responded to board questions regarding the extension of the audit contract with Berry Dunn. Royal Examiner Photos Roger Bianchini

Treasurer Shanks told the board the contract for the coming year would be for $200,000 “for them to continue forward for the next Fiscal Year’s audit. They have been instrumental in providing accounting support to ensure that we have accurate financial data for pre-audit preparation, as well as data with integrity for integration and migration into our new financial software system,” Shanks concluded.

Following discussion on an absence of certain related data at this point, on a motion by Tony Carter, seconded by Hugh Henry, the board voted 5-0 to table a decision on moving forward to the board’s March 19 meeting.

As to public hearing matters following Public Comments on an array of topics, they began with a Conditional Use Permitting (CUP) request for an Accessory Dwelling Unit at 82 Pilgrim’s Way. The staff agenda summary stated: “A request for a conditional use permit for an accessory dwelling unit (detached). The property is located at 82 Pilgrims Way and is identified on tax map 34 as lot 3CA. The property is zoned Agricultural (A) and is located in the South River Magisterial District.”

Following a summary of the process to this point by Interim Planning Director Kelly Wahl, again on a motion by Carter, seconded by Henry, the board voted 5-0 to approve the CUP request with the conditions cited by planning staff and forwarded by the Planning Commission.

The second Public Hearing matter was a request for a Conditional Use Permit for a short-term tourist rental on Bowling Green Road. The staff agenda summary stated: “The property is located at 927 Bowling Green Road and is identified on tax map 13D, section 3, block 3, as lot 14. The property is zoned Residential-One (R-1) and is located in the Shenandoah Magisterial District. Kelly Wahl, Interim Planning Director, presented the permitting request to the board.

On a motion by Henry, seconded by Carter, the board approved the CUP request by a 4-1 vote, Board Chairman Cheryl Cullers dissenting.

Under the Unfinished Business category, the board had an extensive discussion of the status of the County’s developing Tourism Website. The item was presented by Deputy County Administrator Jane Meadows. Meadows told the board she would like to proceed with the existing contract with Earthdiver, LLC, at least through the remainder of 2026. She said that was, “Simply because we have invested a significant amount of money in advertising that is tied to ‘Experience Warren County Dot-com’. So, if we do not have it, we are sending people to something that doesn’t exist.”

The staff summary noted, “The County has previously solicited and awarded a contract to Earthdiver, LLC for ‘Tourism Website’ for the Economic Development Department in December 2023. The initial term of the contract was 12 months, ending April 16, 2025. The contract was amended to include an additional one-year term ending on April 16, 2026.

Responding to a question on operating costs from Vice-Chairman Carter, Meadows explained that there was an annual $ 5,200 cost to maintain the website, following an expenditure of $42,000 to build the Tourism website.

“I think we should go ahead and maintain it for the remainder of this year, and then hopefully we’ll be able to work with the Town and use that money to put toward more marketing and things like that,” Carter responded to the choice facing the board now, with an eye toward a future partnership with the town government on Tourism promotion.

There was continued confusion about annual costs. So, the board unanimously agreed to continue the matter to the upcoming budget meeting discussion scheduled for Thursday, March 19.

Other Unfinished Business items included a New Road Naming Request for properties accessed off of Buck Mountain Road. – Staff presenter Cory Griffith, GIS Coordinator. The staff summary of the proposed naming noted that such naming of previously unnamed semi-rural road sections was mandated as a safety measure for 911 Fire & Rescue responses:

“One house is being constructed, and there are two more dwellings currently located in this subdivision with active residents. This would increase the total number of houses that will potentially share this road to three (3).

“The Warren County Code requires three (3) or more dwellings to be numbered where the driveways meet on a final platted byway within a subdivision. With three (3) or more dwellings on this right-of-way, this lane will require a new name.”

The board unanimously agreed to table this matter until April 7th to give staff time to further research any vagaries in related code sections.

The board then approved the sale of County-Owned Real Property located at 0 Hillidge Street, Front Royal, VA 22630 – presenting staffer Alisa Scott, Finance Director.

County Finance Director Alisa Scott reported on the contracted sale proposal for a vacant county-owned property of about a half-acre at 0 Hillidge Street. The sale at $60,000 was unanimously approved

The staff EXPLANATION & SUMMARY read: “The County has determined that its vacant property located at 0 Hillidge Street, Front Royal, VA 22630, further identified as tax map number 20A8 1 2 16, is surplus property, or of excess need.  The revenue from the sale of the property is a better use of public funds than maintaining or improving it.

“COST & FINANCING: The County has received 1 offer; $60,000 from Allie Nichole LLC.”

The motion to approve the sale proposal at $60,000 was made by Supervisor Henry, seconded by John Stanmeyer, and approved by a 5-0 vote.

Watch the Warren County Board of Supervisors Meeting of March 17, 2025